Pirates bring 4-game losing streak into matchup against the Cardinals – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Pixabay)
St. Louis – The Pittsburgh Pirates arrive at Busch Stadium carrying a four-game losing streak and an 0-5 mark against the St. Louis Cardinals this season. The Cardinals, meanwhile, sit comfortably in second place in the National League Central with a 28-19 record and have shown consistent power at the plate. Wednesday night’s matchup offers the Pirates a chance to reverse their recent slide while the Cardinals look to extend their early dominance in the head-to-head series.
Standings and Home-Field Context
The Cardinals own a 13-11 record at home and rank tenth in the majors with a.393 team slugging percentage. Their overall mark places them just behind the division leaders and reflects steady production across the lineup. Pittsburgh enters at 24-24 overall and fifth in the NL Central, holding an 11-11 mark away from home and a.386 slugging percentage that ranks tenth in the league. The contrast in recent results has placed added pressure on the Pirates to find answers on the road.
Pitching Probables and Betting Line
Right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski takes the mound for Pittsburgh with a 3-3 record, 4.40 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 43 strikeouts. St. Louis counters with Michael McGreevy, who stands at 3-2 with a 2.10 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 36 strikeouts. Oddsmakers list the Cardinals as -120 favorites, with the Pirates at +100 and the total set at 7½ runs. The matchup pits a Cardinals staff that has limited opponents effectively against a Pirates rotation still searching for consistency.
Key Contributors and Recent Trends
Jordan Walker paces the Cardinals with 13 home runs and a.576 slugging percentage. Ivan Herrera has collected 14 hits in his last 43 at-bats, including two doubles, one home run and six RBIs. For Pittsburgh, Brandon Lowe leads with 12 home runs and a.546 slugging mark. Ryan O’Hearn has driven in five runs over his past 36 at-bats while hitting two home runs. Over the last 10 games the Cardinals have gone 6-4, posting a.257 batting average and 3.06 ERA while outscoring opponents by six runs. The Pirates sit at 3-7 in that span with a.261 average, 4.98 ERA and a 10-run deficit overall.
Injury Reports and Roster Adjustments
St. Louis lists Masyn Winn as day-to-day with a calf issue, Ramon Urias on the 10-day injured list with an elbow injury and Lars Nootbaar on the 60-day list with heel problems. Pittsburgh’s absences include Ryan O’Hearn (10-day, quadriceps), Joey Bart (10-day, foot infection), Chris Devenski (15-day, illness) and Jared Jones (60-day, elbow). Both clubs have navigated these setbacks while maintaining competitive lineups for the remainder of the series.
Outlook for Wednesday Night
The Cardinals will look to build on their perfect record against Pittsburgh this year and solidify their position in the division. The Pirates, facing their sixth meeting of the season, need a strong start from Mlodzinski and timely hitting to end the skid. With both teams posting similar slugging numbers but divergent recent results, the game shapes up as a test of whether Pittsburgh can finally solve St. Louis or if the Cardinals will continue their early-season command of the matchup.
